The trial and its aftermath are more dangerous than what has passed

The events that took Jordan by storm over the past few weeks have uncovered several areas of strength and weaknesses. If one were to analyze the scene locally and internationally one would come to various conclusions, most of which are sensitive.اضافة اعلان

The time of the trial and what will follow will be the most sensitive, whether it’s public or private. Sooner or later, the charges pressed will be announced in detail, which means we will be facing a storm that is even greater than the recent events. This is to say that Jordan will have to foresee some of the headlines ahead of time.

We will see an acute case of polarization at the time of the trial and its aftermath; a case of division and a clash of opinion. We will be subject to sharper coverage by Western media, coverage that is harsher than that which Jordan has previously experienced, in addition to a online social media campaign that will be part of attempts to dismantle, weaken, disproving or reinterpret the accusations in question by various political powers. 

Dismantling, disproving, weakening, or reinterpreting the charges is the concern of lawyers. However, this concern will transfer to the public in Jordan and outside it, given the impact of leaks to the outside. All of these factors combined foretell that Jordan will go through times that are more volatile than those that have just come to pass.

From a political standpoint, resorting to settlements in hopes of avoiding the cost of trial does not seem to be an option, and is also expensive. Additionally, a settlement would raise the question as to why everything has happened if the option of settling was available. 

Therefore, the option of going to trial will be mandatory and unavoidable but also inexpensive, in addition to temporarily mitigating costs, if a closed-door trial takes place. No one knows yet whether the trial will take place behind closed doors or not but in either case the essence of the proceedings will eventually become accessible to the public as not everything can be kept secret, particularly when charges are being pressed and sentences will be handed.

This means that a greater, albeit delayed storm, is on the horizon. The first stage of this story has exposed major loopholes in how such cases are managed; the way the audience reacts, the absence of trust, or the attraction of said audience to the voices of foreign media and dismiss those of the local media, which have appeared fragile in the midst of all this. 

Alternatively, local media may have become a platform for climbers, those looking for awards and promotions instead of providing information and analyzing the local scene. Those people have neither backed the official narrative nor mitigated the scrutiny it faced, but were instead like an echo chamber that could not stand toe-to-toe with Western narratives, whether accurate or other not.

The issue also raises several questions about the King’s team of advisors and how strong or weak they may be on the political and media fronts, in addition to the government’s absent role in a cases that impacts the stability of all Jordanians.

What has happened is not easy and has taken a toll on the country and people’s stability. Responses to calls for a change in approach and for reform should be as proactive as possible. These responses should not be seen as a case of giving in to others’ demands or simply as a reaction due to the sensitivity of this case. Let the naysayers talk but what is most important now is to show flexibility in the face of this difficult crisis.

The state’s poise does not lie in its apathy or pretending as if nothing has happened. Today, this is not productive. What is required is various measures and institutional action across all government institutions, including the Royal Court. 

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